“Pay attention now! and bring this ship to life!” called out Susan Ring Keith, ship’s sponsor, on Saturday, April 5, at Pier Juliet at Naval Base Coronado as the responsive Blue and Gold crews ran aboard to man their positions at the rail with spectators cheering loudly. The long-awaited day had finally arrived for the US Navy’s newest littoral combat ship and the third ship to be named for the city of Coronado. Susan Keith had christened the USS CORONADO (LCS-4) (fittingly, with a bottle of Hotel Del Coronado champagne) on January 14, 2012, in Mobile, Alabama where she was built. Her Blue Crew Commander John Kochendorfer was excited about the ship’s performance on her maiden voyage as she sailed into San Diego Bay on March 10th. On the commissioning platform he exchanged leadership duties with Commander Shawn Johnston of the Gold Crew, who will guide her on her next mission from her home port at Naval Base San Diego.
The commissioning ceremony took place before a crowd of nearly 5,000, who watched the “Crown of the Fleet” begin a new chapter of naval history. The lineup of dignitaries on the platform was impressive, with admirals representing the office of the Secretary of the Navy, honored commissioning committee chairmen, and local government officials including city of Coronado Mayor Casey Tanaka, who presented the officers and crews with a key to the city. Keynote speaker Admiral Mark Ferguson, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, inspired the patriotic fervor of the onlookers with his positive remarks about the new warship and her role in protecting the nation’s security. Applause resounded as her commissioning pennant was hoisted and all systems came to life. She was officially ready to undertake all missions assigned to her to protect our country’s freedom.
The event culminated with a reception on the pier and guided tours of the ship. Visitors who toured the ship were awed by her capabilities to exceed speeds of 40 knots and her lightweight aluminum hull with its unique trimaran design, allowing her to travel in shallow coastal waters. Equipped with interchangeable mission packages, she can perform in undersea mine and anti-submarine combat as well as surface warfare. The USS CORONADO (LCS-4) will play an important role in the future defense of our great nation.
